Will Tv Past Affect Political Apprentice?

MICHAEL MAYO COMMENTARY

City Commission Candidate Wants Voters To Take Him Seriously.

Raj, the bow-tie guy, was there. So was the Average Joe with the Boston accent thick as chowdah.

Sadly, Richard Hatch, the Survivor winner now under indictment for alleged tax fraud, didn't make it from Rhode Island.

"His pre-trial officer wouldn't allow him to travel out of state," Bradford Cohen explained at CafM-i Martorano on Sunday night.

So went one of the stranger campaign kickoff parties in the annals of local politics, one that might be a sign of the apocalypse, or simply the latest proof that celebrity culture, even the C-list variety, is inescapable.

Cohen, 34, seems like a bright, motivated guy, and he says he's serious about his run for Fort Lauderdale City Commission. Spend a couple of hours with him at his Fort Lauderdale law office and he'll get into wonkish nitty-gritty such as transferable development rights, parking ticket amnesty and responsible growth.

But it might be hard for some voters to take Cohen seriously when his biggest claim to fame is being on the receiving end of a "You're fired" from Donald Trump last year, and when his first endorsements come from the likes of Raj Bhakta, his bow-tied compatriot from The Apprentice, and Brian Worth of Average Joe.

"We met doing Battle of the Reality Television Stars," Worth said. "We were on the same team, Brad was our captain and we ended up winning. He'll do good things."

Not exactly the local police or firefighter's unions, but hey, it's a start.

Then again, when Arnold Schwarzenegger can go from Jay Leno's couch to California governor, fame of any kind, even the fleeting reality TV variety, might just be the winning ticket.

Cohen said he raised nearly $7,000 at Sunday's party, and that he has received a $250 contribution, the maximum, from The Donald himself.

"City races usually don't get much publicity," Cohen said Monday. "But Us Weekly and People magazine were both there on Sunday I'm grateful, because it brings attention to me and the city."

But his opponents say it's local voters and the issues, not national coverage and famous backers, that will determine the outcome.

Cohen is one of four declared candidates for the seat being vacated by Dean Trantalis. The others: Jon Albee, 60, a home renovator and insurance agent; Les Hollingsworth, 59, who works for a mortgage lending firm; and Michael Moskowitz, 27, an accountant.

The primary is next February. If nobody gets more than 50 percent, the top two candidates face off in March.

"Basically there are 25,000 registered voters in the district, about 4,000 will vote in this election, and whoever gets 2,000 votes will win," said Moskowitz. "Can someone who's been on TV get 2,000 votes? We'll see. Am I worried? No."

Said Hollingsworth: "The people I talk to tend to focus on things like crime, taxes and how do we manage growth. It's about those basic kind of things, not celebrity."

Said Albee: "To be an effective commissioner, you need to have an understanding of a place and know how the system works. I'm a native of Fort Lauderdale. I have perspective on this area."

Albee lost by 50 votes to Trantalis in 2003. Is he concerned that Cohen might have an edge because of his TV past?

"I think everyone's seen The Apprentice," Albee said. "Just because you see someone on TV doesn't mean you know them. I don't know him at all. But I do remember him giving up his immunity."

Cohen's exit from the show in September 2004 was memorable because he voluntarily sacrificed the protected status he previously earned when his team lost. Trump called it a stupid gamble and fired him. Cohen said he did it to make a point about leadership and accountability.

"It wasn't contrived or a stunt -- that's the way I am," said Cohen, a Nova Southeastern University Law School graduate who grew up in Massachusetts and has lived in South Florida since 1993.

He said he considers Trump "a friend," but is hesitant about asking Trump to campaign for him. "It's a tricky thing," he said. Trump has some development projects on Fort Lauderdale beach, and he doesn't want to trigger voter backlash.

Cohen said his television experience, and the second-guessing he took from chatrooms and bloggers on the Web, could only help him in politics.

"You do what you think is right, but when you put yourself out there, you know you're going to get criticized," said Cohen. "It's the same way being on the city commission."

Michael Mayo can be reached at mmayo@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4508.